1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, for example, to a peripheral device compatible to a network, an information processing method and apparatus for controlling the peripheral device, and a program thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Monitoring and management processing for shared printers in a network environment is usually concentrated to an IT (Information Technology) manager and server, and users are notified of it through a mail service. Manual operations in a specific process of management are automated by replacing them with a mail service, thereby reducing the load on the IT manager and users. A server creates an installer and distributes mail with it. A user installs a network sharing printer by executing the installer (e.g., patent reference 1). The server sends mail to the user to notify him/her of the monitoring and deletion of the network sharing printer (e.g., patent reference 2).
On the other hand, along with enhancements of networks such as the Internet and home networks, network compatibility of user interactive devices such as PDAs and portable phones and image processing devices such as scanners, printers, copy machines, and digitals camera has advanced. Also, network compatibility of various devices including electronic home appliances such as a televisions, air conditioners, and refrigerators has advanced. In order to improve convenience and to allow easy management using such network compatible devices, various protocols and architectures that provide functions of managing network devices have been proposed (patent references 3 and 4). The functions to be provided include a search function of network devices which provide services, an automatic setup function of application software, utility software, an operating system, and the like required to control network εdevices.
An attempt to automate network device management has also been made. For example, development of UPnP® and WSD: Web Services for Devices (WS-Discovery/WS-MetadataExchange) has been done by Microsoft. Such technique implements so-called plug-and-play that allows use of a device by connecting that device to the network.
Monitoring and management processing for shared printers in a network environment is concentrated to an IT (Information Technology) manager and server, and users are notified of it through a mail service. There is disclosed a technique of automating manual operations in a specific process of management by replacing them with a mail service, thereby reducing the load on the IT managers and users (patent reference 4). A server described in patent reference 4 creates an installer and distributes mail with it. A user installs a network sharing printer by executing the installer.
[Patent Reference 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-215128
[Patent Reference 2] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-280218
[Patent Reference 3] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-038956
[Patent Reference 4] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-362594
However, the convenience of network devices improves due to prevalence of plug-and-play in the network devices, while negative effects resulting from automatic installation of drivers of devices connected to the network are also produced. One of such negative effects is an unlimited increase in number of drivers introduced (installed) in a client computer.
For example, if device drivers are installed automatically, even a device driver unnecessary for the user may be installed. This makes it difficult for the user to select a desired network device. In addition, a print instruction may be sent to a device that has rarely been chosen and used in the past as a desired device.